Electrical connection.



J. M. ANDERSEN.

ELECTRICAL CONNECTION.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.23, 1912 1,078,763. Patented Nov. 18v 1915.

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ELECTRICAL CONNECTION.

APPLICATION FILED MAILZB, 1912 1,078,763, Patented Nov. 18. 1913.

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Kama! @444 Maw/WM UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN M. ANDERSEN, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO ALBERT AND J'.M.

ANDERSON MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPO-BATION OF MAINE.

ELECTRICAL CONNECTION.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 18,1913.

This invention relates to an electrical connection comprising a socketmember, and a plug member which is adapted to be insented into andremoved from the socket member.

The present invention has for its ob ect to provide an electrical comection of the character described, which is especially adapted for usein circuits carrying currents of large amperage, such for instance ascircuits employed for charging storage batteries, and particularlystorage batteries on Pullman and other cars.

The plug member is designed to-be located at a railway or other station,and the socket member is secured to the Pullman or other car,consequently a single plug member is used with a plurality of socketmembers, and isrequired to make proper contact with each socket member.Furthermore, the plug member is required to be handled by the operatorwhose .duty it is to charge the battery and therefore should be made aslight as possible, to enable it tobe readily handled.

The contact members are requ red to be made of the proper size t carrythe large current, and in order to prevent lateral movement of thecontact members of the plug member with relation to the contact membersof the socket member and also to relieve said contact members fromstrain, due to the weight of the plug, the latter and the socket memberare provided with uiding members which are located central y in said pland socket members. The guiding mem ers may and preferably also serve asmeans for securing thecontact members firmly within the plug and socketmembers.

Provision is made for thoroughly insulating the contact members from themetal shells or casings and from each other within said shells orcasings, as will be described. Provision is also made for quickly andeasily assembling together the parts of the lug 65 and socket members,as will be described These and other featurw of this invention will bepointed out in the claims at the end of this specification.

F 'gure l is a side elevation with parts broken away of the socketmember of an electrical connection embodying this invention. Fig. 2, aside elevation ofthe plug member of the connection. Fig. 3, a verticalcentral section of the connection in its operative condition. Fig. 4, ahorizontal section of the connection in its operative position. Fig. 5,a cross section on the line 5 Fig. 3. Fig. 6, a cross section on theline 66 Fig. 3. Fig. 7, .a cross section on the line 77 Fig. 3. Figs. 8,9 and 10, details of contact members to be referred to.

Referring to the drawings, a represents the plug member and b the socketmember of an electrical connection embodying this invention. The plugmember a comprises as herein shown, a metal casing 10 open at its frontend and substantially .closed at its rear end by a cap composed of twoparts or halves 12,13, which are detachably fastened to the casin 10 byscrews 14. The casing 10 is provi ed within it with a transversepartition wall or cross bar 15, which has extended from it toward therear end of the metal casing 10, a central hub 18 and side walls 19, 20,see Fig. 5, which subdivide the rear rtion 21 of the easing into twosubstantially parallel compartments 22, 23.

The side walls 19, 20, the hub 18, and the partition wall may andpreferably will be cast in one piece with the metal casing 10, and therear portion 21 of the latter is substantially diamond shaped in crosssection and materially larger than the cylindrical front portion of saidcasin as represented in Fig. 5. The bottom wafis 24, 25 of thecompartments 22, 23, are substantially in line with the partition wall15 and are separated therefrom by spaces for a purpose as will bedescribed.

The cylindrical front portion of the easing 10 is designed to containthe contact members of the plug member and forms a contact chamber 26 ofsaid casing. The

plug contact members are preferably made as herein shown and consist oftwo cylinders 27, 28 of copper or other metal and of difierentdiameters, so that onecylinder as 28 may be nested in the other cylinder27.

The cylinders 27, 28 are open at their front Tends and provided at,their rear ends 110 with heads 29, 30, having central openings 31, 32,see Figs. 8 and 9, for a purpose as will be described, and saidcylinders have extended rearwardly from said heads terminal arms 33, 34,which are extended into the terminal compartments 23, 22, wherein theyhave secured to them by screws 35, 36, terminal blocks 37, 38, havingsockets 39, 40 for the reception of the conductors or cables (notshown), as they may be of any suitable or well known construction.

The contact members 27 28 are firmly secured within the metal casing 10,which is accomplished as herein shown by the guiding member of the plug,which is preferably made as herein shown and consists of acylindricalrod 41 preferably of steel.

The rod 41 is provided with a flange 42 and beyond the latter with anenlarged rear portion, which extends through the hub 18 of the casing 10and is provided at its end with screw threads, for the reception of anut 44, by, turning up which the plug guiding member may be movedlongitudinally to secure the contact members of the plug member in fixedrelation to the metal casmg. v

The plug contact members and the guiding member thereof,-are thoroughlyinsulated from the metal casing 10, which is effected as follows: Theguiding member 41 is insulated from the metal hub 18 by a bushing orsleeve 45 of insulating material, which extends into the chamber 26 ofthe casing 10, and insulates the guiding member from the heads of thecontact members 27, 28. The flange 42 on the guiding member is insulatedfrom the contact member 28 by a recessed Washer 47 of insulatingmaterial, interposed between the said flange and the head 30 of theinner contact member 28. The contact member 28 is insulated from thecontact member 27 by the recessed washer 48 of insulating material,interposed between the heads 29, 30 of the contact members 27, 28. Thehead 29 of the contact member 27 is insulated from the partition wall 15by a washer 49 of insulating material.

The terminal arms 33, 34 of the contact members 27 28 are insulated fromthe metal side walls 19, 20 by pieces 50, 51 of insulating material, seeFigs. 4 and 5, and are insulated from the m al casing 10 by the pieces52, 53 of insulg material, which bear against the rear we. 24, 25 ofcompartments 22, 23 and extend toward the side walls 19, 20, but areseparated therefrom material, which close the openings 57, 58 in saidouter walls, through which access to the screws 36, 35 is had. The nut44 and a metal washer 60 on the threaded end of the guidin member 41 arealso insulated from the hui 18 by the washer 61 of insulating material.

By reference to Figs. 4 and 5, it will be seen, that the pieces 50, 51,52, 53, 55, 56 of insulating material form a linin of insulatingmaterial for the Walls of t e com partments 22, 23, whereby the metalcasing 10 is thoroughly insulated from the terminal arms and blocks ofthe contact members 27, 28, and the contact members are t-horoughlyinsulated from each other and from the guiding member of the plug, bythe insulating washers 47, 48 and bushing 45, and that the guidingmember is insulated from the metal hub 18 by the bushing 45 and washer61. As a result of thus thoroughly insulating the metal casing 10 fromthe metal parts within it, danger of serious accident and even death bythe large current passing through the contact members is avoided. Thecontact members 27, 28

Q are preferably cylindrical in form, and in order that the smallercylinder 28 may be nested within the larger cylinder 27, the head 29 ofthe latter is provided with an opening 65 for the passage of theterminal arm 34. on the smaller cylinder, said opening being located onthe opposite side of the center i from the terminal arm 33, see Fig. 4.The

cylinders 27,28 of the contact members are provided with longitudinallyextended slits 66, 67 for a purpose as will be described. The guidingmember of the plug is made substantially long and projects beyond thefront end of the metal casing 10, for a purpose as will be described.The socket member is of substantially the same construction as the plugmember and comprises a short metal cylinder 70 provided with an enlargedrear portion 71, which has within it a transverse partition wall 72-, ametal hub 73 extended rearwardly therefrom, and sideavalls integral withthe hub and forming within the enlarged portion 71 of the casing,compartments 76, 5'1, for the reception oi": the terminal blocks 78, 79,and arms 80, 81 extended from the heads 82, 83 ofthe cylindrical contactmembers 84, 85. The cor act members 84, 85 are secured infixed relationto the casing 70, by a female guiding member, which consists of a rod90, preferably of steel, and provided with a socket 91 for the receptionof the male guiding member 41. The rod 90 is provided between its endswith a flange or cellar 92, and has its rear end extended thrsugh thecentral hub 73 and is provided at its rear end with screw threads, whichare engaged by a nut 93. which cooperates with the hub 73 to firmlysecure the contact members 84, 85 in fixed relation to the metal casing70. The contad; member 84 is nested within the contact member 85, andhas its terminal arm extended through an opening 95 in the head 83 ofthe contact member 85, and also through an opening in the head 96 of acylinder 97 of insulating material, which is interposed between thecontact cylinders 84, 85. The contact cylinder is insulated from themetal casing 70 by a recessed disk 197 of insulating material, intowhich the contact cylinder 85 is inserted. The disk 197 is provided withopenings through which the terminal arms.

80, 81 of the contact members 84, 85 are passed into the compartments76, 77. The female guiding member is insulated from the hub 73 by abus-hing or sleeve 98 of insulating .material, and the terminal arms 80,81 and blocks 78, '79, within the compa/rtments 76, 7 7 are insulatedfrom the walls thereof, by the substantially flat pieces 100., 101 andby the bent or curved pieces 102, 103 of insulating material, which arecapable of being inserted into the compartments 76, 77 through the openend of the same. The female guiding member has loose on i-ta metalwasher 104 against which the nut 93 bears, and a washer 105 ofinsulating material is interposed between the metal washer 104 and thehub 73.

By reference to Figs. 3 and 4, it will thus be seen, that the contactmembers 84, 85 are insulated from each other by the cylinder 97 ofinsulating material, and fromthe metal casing by the insulating disk197, and that the female guiding member 90 is insulated from the metalcasing by the bushing 98 and washer 105, and that the terminal arms 80,81 and blocks 78, 79 are insulated from the metal casing by the flatpieces 100, 101, curved pieces 102, 103, and by flat pieces 108, 109interposed between the said terminal blocks and the end walls 110, 112of the compartments 76, 77. The cylinders of the contact members 84, 85are provided with longitudinally extended slits 167, 168 to form springfingers, and the cylinders of the plug contact members are made to enterthe cylinders of the socket cont-act members, and in order to obtain asuperior contact between said cylinders, the cylinders of the plugcontact members are of an external diameter slightly larger than theinternal diameter of the cylinders of the socket member as representedin Fig. 10. By reason of the fact that the contact cylinders of the plugand socket members are split longitudh cylinders of the plug membertapering inwardly and the cylinders of the socket momber taperingoutwardly, so that the 006961- ating cylinders makecontact for theirentire length, whereby a very superior electrical connection between thecontact members of the plug and socket members is obtained.

Provision is made for securing the socket member to the railway car, sothat it is firmly secured against working loose but yet is capable ofturning, so that in case the car :should he suddenly started while thebattery thereon is being charged, the socket member will be turned into.the line of stress and will automatically disengage itself from theplug member, thereby avoiding injury to both members. For this purpose,the casing of the socket member is provided with a later- ;ally extendedprojection from which extends an annular flange 121, which cooperateswith the bottom 122 of a hollow casting 123, into which the projection120 extends through a hole in the bottom 122. The casting 123 isprovided with ears 124, having holes for the passage of bolts 125, bywhich the casting is secured to the ibottcnn of the railway carrepresented by the line 126 Fig. 3. The socket member is pivot- .a-llysecured to the casting 123 or s rting member by a convexed steel disk orwasher 127, titted over the projection 120 and bearing at its outercircumfierenoe against theborttom 122 of the coding and at its inner:circumafierence against the under :side of a cap plate or disk 128,which is detachably secured to the projection 1:20 by bolts 129. Thespring washer 127 serves as a support on which the socket member swivelsand also as a sprin to keep the flange 121 in close contact with thebottom of the casting 123 to prevent rattle. The socket member is alsoprovided with a cylindrical cover 130, which is pivoted to the easing 70and is designed to fit oven the contact members thereof and protect thesame from injury, when the plug member :is withdrawn. v

By providing the plug and socket members with center guiding members,the latter are not only capable of being used to secure the contactmembers in fixed position within their casings, but the contact membersare enabled to be made short in length and of substantially largediameter and split longitudinally to render them capable of yielding soas to convert the normally cylindrical contact members into taporingcontact members when in engagement, whereby contact (for the length ofthe normally cylindrical contact members isobtained and a superiorcontactobtained. Furthermore, the contact members of the socket membermay project beyond the casing of the said member, without danger of saidcontact members being sprung out of shape or distorted by the weight ofthe plug mem-- ber and of the heavy cable attached thereto,

because the center guiding members are in firm engagement before thecontact members are brought into contact, and as a result, springing ofthe contact members of the socket member by the weight of the plugmember and its attached cable is avoided.

I have herein shown one construction of electrical connection embodyingthis invention, but it is not desired to limit the invention to theparticular construction shown.

In the present instance the invention is shown in a double pole devicein which the contact members 27,. .85 are of one polarity and thecontact. members 28, '84 are ,of the other polarity, but it is notdesired to limit the invention in this respect, as the guiding membersmay be used to advantage with a single pole device. In the presentinstance, the male guiding member 41 forms part of the plug member andprojects beyond the contact member thereof, but if desired, the male andfemale guidin members may be reversed, and further t e female member maybe the longer member and project beyond the contact member withwhich itis associated. It will be observed, that the projecting guiding memberis dead, that is, it is thoroughly insulated from the contact member ormembers with which it is asso ciated, whereas the other guiding memberwhich does not project need not be insulated from the contact memberwith which it is associated.

Claims.

1. In an electrical connection of the class described, in combination, asocket member provided with a metal casing having cylindrical contactmembers nested one within the other and separated from each other;

means for insulating said members from each other and from said casing,a female guiding member located within the nested contact members, and aplug member pro- Vided with a metal casing having cylindrical contactmembers nested one within the other, and separated from each other,means for insulatin said plug contact members from each ot er and fromsaid casin and a male guiding member located Withm the nested contactmembers of said plug member and cooperating with the female guidinmember of said socket member, substantially as described.

2. In an electrical connection of the'class described, in combination, asocket member provided with a metal casing having cylindrical contactmembers slitted longitudinally and nested one within the other, andseparated from each other, a guiding member located within the nestedcontact members, and a plug member provided with a metal casing havingcylindrical contact members split longitudinally and nested one withinthe other, the cylindrical contact members of said plug member havingexternal diameters slightly larger than the internal diameters of thecylindrical contact members of said socket member, means for insulatinthe contact members of said plug member rom each other and from themetal casing of said plug member, and a guiding member located withinthe cylindrical contact members of said lug member and cooperating withthe guidin member of said socket member, substantial y as described.

3. In an'electrical connection of the class described, in combination, asocket member provided with a substantially cylindrical contact member,and with a substantially central guiding member located within saidcontact member, and a lug member provided with a substantial ycylindrical contact member, and with a substantially central guidingmember located within the contact member thereof to engage the guidingmember of the socket member, one of said a guiding members beingextended beyond the contact member within which it is located to engagethe cooperating guiding member before the contact members of the plugand socket members are engagedwith each other, substantially asdescribed.

4. In an electrical connection of the class described, in combination, asocket member rovided with a pluralit of contact members nested onewithin t e other and insulated from each other, and with a substantiallycentral guiding member located within said nested contact members, and aplug member provided with av lurality of contact members nested onewithin the other and insulated from each other and cooperating with thecontact members of the socket member, and having a substantially centralguiding member located within the nested contact members thereof andcooperating with the guiding member of the socket member, substantiallyas described.

5. In an electrical connection of the class described, in combination, ametal casing provided with a partition wall having a hub extended fromit, cylindrical contact members having heads from which extend terminalarms, said contact members being nested together, with the terminal armof the inner contact member extended through an opening in the outercontact member, means for insulating said contact members from eachother and from said casing, and a guiding member extended through saidcontact members and throughsaid hub, and means to secure said guidingmember to said casing, substantially as described.

6. ii an electrical connection of the class described, in combination, ametal casing provided within it with a hub, a guiding member supportedat one end by said hub, means to secure said guiding member in said hub,a contact member within said casing, means cooperating with said guidingmember for securing said contact member in said casing, and means forinsulating said contact member from said casing, substantially asdescribed.

7. In an electrical connection of the class described, in combination, acontact member provided with a head having in it a substantially centralopening and a second opening at one side of its center and a terminalarm extended beyond said head, a second contact member provided with ahead having a substantially central opening and having a terminal arm atone side of the center of said head and extended through the secondopening in the head of the first mentioned contact member, and means toinsulate said contact members, substantially as described.

8. In an electrical connection of the class described, in combination, acontact member provided with a cylindrical body portion splitlongitudinally and having a head provided with a substantially centralopening and with a second opening at one side of said central 0 ening,and having a terminal arm extended eyond said head, a second contactmember provided with a cylindrical body portion of smaller diametersplit longitudinally and nested within the first mentioned contactmember, said second contact member having a terminal arm extendedthrough the opening at one side of the center'of the first mentionedmember and having a head provided with a substantially central opening,a guiding member extended through the said central openings, and meansto insulate said members, substantially as described.

'9. In an electrical connection of the class described, in combination,a metal casing provided within its rear portion with means for formingsubstantially parallel compartments, contact members within the frontportion of said casing having terminal arms extended into saidcompartments, means to secure said contact members in said casing, andmeans within said compartments to insulate said terminal arms from saidcasing, substantially as described.

10. In an electrical connection of the class described, in combination,a metal casing provided within it with means for forming compartmentsand having openings in its outer wall for gaining access to saidcompartments, contact members within said casing having terminal armsextended into said compartments, means to secure said contact members insaid casing, terminal blocks, means to secure said blocks to saidterminal arms, said securing means being accessible through the openingsin the outer wall of said casing, and means within said compartments toinsulate the terminal blocks and arms from said casing, substantially asdescribed.

11. In an electrical connection of the class described, in combination,a metal casing provided within it with means for forming compartmentsand having openings in its outer wall for gaining access to saidcomartments, contact members within said casmg having terminal armsextended into said compartments, means to secure said contact members insaid casing, terminal blocks, means to secure said blocks to saidterminal arms, said securing means being accessible through the openingsin the outer wall of said casing, and removable linings of insulatingmaterial for said compartments forming closures for said openings.

12. ln an electrical connection of the class described, in combination,a metal casing provided within it with means for forming compartments,said metal casing having openings in the outer walls of saidcompartments, contact terminals in said compartments, and removablelinings of insulation for said compartments forming closures for saidopenings, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribin witnesses.

OHAN M. ANDERSEN.

WVitnesses:

JAB. H. CHURCHILL, J. MURPHY.

